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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. charge — in control
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. ball — a dance
  6. face — to point toward
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. firm — a company
  11. face — to confront
  12. court — of law
  13. charge — electricity
  14. fall — to drop
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. court — of a king
  17. fall — the season
  18. face — part of the head
  19. kick — in football
  20. court — for sport
  21. fall — to drop
  22. charge — a price
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — decided

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com